It is funny how people often assume I speak four languages fluently: English, Spanish, Croatian, and French. Let me clear up those assumptions and explain what the reality is behind these languages that are attached to my life.
I was born in Perú, to a Peruvian mother and a Croatian father. Because of that, people often expect me to be fluent in both Castellano (a dialect of Spanish) and Croatian. After moving to Canada, I did high school here, where English naturally became a significant part of my life. I was also required to take French classes in high school, which leads people to believe I am multilingual, but the truth is a bit more complicated.
English: The Language of Everyday Life
Let us start with the most obvious one—English. I have lived in Canada for nearly 35 years now, so English is naturally the language I am most comfortable with. It is my main language of communication in both personal and professional settings. I use it every day, and it is the language that surrounds me the most.
Spanish (Castellano): The Language of My Heritage
I speak Castellano with my mother, and she responds in it as well. Although we could switch to English—since she knows it and speaks it fluently—Castellano remains our language for conversations when it is just the two of us.
Since I do not live in a neighbourhood with many Spanish speakers, I try to keep up with Castellano to avoid letting it slip like I did with my Croatian. It remains one of my mother tongues—literally my mother’s tongue, since it’s the language I speak with her—and I still use it regularly in our conversations.
Croatian: Understanding But Not Speaking
Now, this is where things get a bit tricky. Because my father was Croatian, people often assume I speak Croatian fluently. But the truth is, while I know some Croatian words and phrases, I am not conversational in the language. I can read Croatian fairly well and I can understand quite a bit, but actually speaking it? That is a different story.
Growing up in Canada, I did not live anywhere near a large Croatian community. I am actually on the opposite side of Toronto from where most of the Croatian population is. This meant that I never had the opportunity to practice it regularly. The result? I know enough Croatian to understand what people are saying, but I am out of practice and rarely use it. So, while I have that connection to the language through my heritage, my Croatian skills are more passive than active.
French: The Class I Wished I Stuck With
Now for French, a language that I never really spoke fluently. Like most students in Ontario, I was required to take French classes in high school. I did Grade 9 and Grade 10 French, but here is the thing—I was not exactly passionate about it. I kind of winged it just to pass the classes. I memorized enough to get through, but I was not deeply invested. To be honest, after Grade 10, I decided to give up on French. Looking back, I see that as a mistake.
French is one of Canada’s official languages, and had I stuck with it, it could have been a useful skill. But I never really practiced speaking it, so I was left with nothing more than the ability to say things like, “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir”, which is not exactly a shining example of linguistic prowess!
Assumptions vs. Reality
What I find interesting is how often people assume that I must be fluent in all these languages. Whether it is because of my heritage or my schooling, the assumption is there. But in reality, my comfort level with these languages is quite different from what people might think.
I speak English and Castellano confidently. Those are my two main languages, and I use them regularly. Croatian? I can understand it, read it, and manage a few words here and there, but it is not something I practice because I live far from any Croatian community. And as for French, it was a subject I did just enough to pass and then moved on from. I have not spoken it in over 30 years, and while I regret not sticking with it, I never really spoke it fluently in the first place.
So, those are the four languages people assume I speak. The reality is, I have two active languages, Spanish (Castellano) and English, and two that are more dormant or out of practice, Croatian and French. The assumptions are understandable, given my background, but the truth is not quite as impressive as it might seem!
In the end, I am a blend of all these cultures and languages, but English and Spanish are the ones I rely on the most in my daily life. I live in Canada, where English dominates, and that is the language I use to navigate most of my world.
